Re: Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 10

Originally Posted by MHcarrollton;3886185;

Well if Erin has prior experience with dance than she is not a very good ringer because she is just not that good. What is keeping her in is the obvious attraction her and Maks have and people wanting to see more. There are a lot of people that like to see that kind of stuff. Dancewise if she was with Tony or Johnathon she probably would have gone by now.

Erin certainly is better than Niecy, Chad and Jake and at least on a par with Pam, so I'm interested to know why you think she would be gone by now.

Re: Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 10

Pam and Erin I'd put on the same level dancewise, but Pam at least has the judges in her corner (since she's been in the bottom 2 twice who knows with the viewers). While I know Erin has had previous dance training, I would never guess it by watching her. Some people can have natural rhythm and coordination for dancing without ever having taken a class in their life, but not look like Nicole in the process. Erin to me has the advantage of not being clunky on the floor but she's had to work her way up from there. I'm not sure I'd say she'd be gone with either Tony or Jonathan by now; she is a good dancer, and probably what dominated the headlines more than her Maks showmance were her personal troubles (but of course on the show, they can't bring that up).

I guess you'd exclude a lot of people from this show that might have taken a dance class here or there in their day but I don't particularly think the show really cares anymore, as casting professional dancers/choreographers two seasons in a row that are bigger ringers than even Kristi Yamaguchi. I guess it's part of their strategy, have the Buzz's that can be pitied, possibly go farther than they should, and totally stink but you may or may not mind; and then the Nicole's so they can guarantee someone won't have to learn from scratch.

As for the Mel/Maks debate, they totally should have won I remember season 5 right up until that very last second when the result came in.

Re: Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 10

I guess you'd exclude a lot of people from this show that might have taken a dance class here or there in their day but I don't particularly think the show really cares anymore, as casting professional dancers/choreographers two seasons in a row that are bigger ringers than even Kristi Yamaguchi. I guess it's part of their strategy, have the Buzz's that can be pitied, possibly go farther than they should, and totally stink but you may or may not mind; and then the Nicole's so they can guarantee someone won't have to learn from scratch.

Looking at that first night, Erin's "previous dance experience" may have helped her land in the top three compared with the true novices. While some have improved (Jake, Pam), some have stayed stagnant, including Nicole, Evan, and Erin. You really can't expect top performers, like Evan and Nicole, to really falter. It must be wild to judge them given their entertainment value; they're mesmerizing to watch. That being said, as Jake and Pam have made small improvements weekly (I attribute some of it more to a particular dance style than skill), Erin has remained consistent. Until she improves her legs and her feet, the judges will mark her for the middle (which is now quickly becoming the bottom). While their packages provide comedic relief and their "electric" spark is enchanting, eventually the dancing will have to win over everyone, judges and fans, and give Evan/Nicole/Pam a run for their money.

As for the Mel/Maks debate, they totally should have won I remember season 5 right up until that very last second when the result came in.

As I've learned from all of you, they could be Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, but if the judges/producers want the Ballas kids to win, then they've got no shot. I watched Mel & Maks dances this weekend. Talk about entertainment. They were funny, they had chemistry, they danced beautifully, they're choreography was impressive. So, if the winner is decided based on "best entertainer," Mel should have won. If the winner is decided based on "most improved," Helio rightfully won. Perhaps occasionally the winner is both. I can't imagine, though, that both Evan and Nicole will be in the finals. If they were the final pair, then that would defeat the original purpose of DWTS.

Here's where I think Erin could slide into the finals: 1) If she shows improvement in these next weeks, she'd be a good person to face-off with Evan or Nicole. Another case of professional entertainer vs. most-improved. 2) Erin wants to use this exposure as a platform for advocacy against video voyeurism. Here's a woman, who represents so many women who have been violated on some level, continuing to live her life. She's not letting this incident cause her to shut down or withdraw or deny her femininity. Add to that the bond with Maks. That's a person the show would want to promote. Someone who overcame difficulty, used dancing as an outlet, and got to the finals. At least, that's what I'm hoping for

Re: Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 10

Originally Posted by parrierajr;3886122;

Last year Melissa was totally bagged on for having been a ringer because of her prior dance experience as a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader. Why hasn't Erin been labeled as such--she has prior pro dance experience also??

Being on a college dance team is not the same as being a professional dancer. I would think there are many, many ladies who danced or cheered in high school or college, but have not had professional training.

Re: Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 10

Not only is it not being the same as a professional dancer - it's not the same as ballroom dancing....just saying. Same goes for Nicole and any other folks that are considered ringers. Unless they have been trained as a ballroom dancer, they're not a pro dancer in this arena.

Re: Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 10

I think we need to give credit where credit is due. Although Evan has certainly had to train in dance for his
ice skating, the technique is totally different. He has to "unlearn" his skating techniques and quickly learn
the dance techniques in a very short time. I think he has a tremendous work ethic to make himself work on
this from day to day when he has to perform in "stars on ice" and then turn completely around to perform
the correct posture, etc. for dancing with the stars. This cannot be easy, either.

Re: Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 10

I'm not familiar with "the swing" so I YouTubed it and found a good one:
Showcase Division 2005 US Open Swing Dance Championships
How do you think Erin and Maks will do tonight with it? I see Nicole as the best and possibly Pam doing a good job with this one, but I would love to see Erin and Maks knock it out of the park, as well as turning the judges with their assigned dance, the samba, I think.

Re: Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 10

Besides the swing – do we know what the dances are and which they are doing?

They're doing the samba and the swing marathon. Erin needs to shake that little tush!!! Samba's so fun, so it'll be fun

As for the swing marathon, swing is pretty hyper with lotsa jive-like movement, flips, and lifts. Kinda similar to 20s era dancing which made a come-back in the mid-late 90s. It's wicked fun.

But, it requires endurance. So this one might go to Evan. He's been training like a mad-man for the Olympics. He worked out for like 7 hours a day between ice and gym to train for Vancouver. He's strong. It might just be the guys who determine this win.

Re: Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Season 10

Originally Posted by dancingfan;3886296;

Being on a college dance team is not the same as being a professional dancer. I would think there are many, many ladies who danced or cheered in high school or college, but have not had professional training.

I see Erin as a strong contender, but certainly not a ringer.

Not only that, Erin is now in her early 30's, so it was 10 years ago that she was dancing in college. Evan's and Nicole's experience is present day.